Journey Symbolism in Literature

This analysis will critically analyze the symbolism of journey-and its literary importance- between “The Road Not Taken” and “I Used to Live Here”. This critical paper chose to write itself upon symbolism’s journeys within literature. The tales chose are from “I used to Live Here” (Rhys) as well as “The Road Not Taken” (Frost). The choice in comparative analysis is due to how they both swim in a sea of metaphorical symbolism. The similarity is that both authors use the symbolisms in their literature. That’s where main similarities end. This researcher will write about how both authors use of symbolism is in different ways. Frost in his “The Road Not Taken is granted greater freedoms in artistic expression. The short story of Rhys is mainly using the literary techniques common to actual stories and there by constrained in. The irony I think of these tales is the double use of Journey in symbolism. The tale is a journey and yet the journey within that journey is the symbolism in which shows a quest for truth maybe peace and eveven immortality. The journey symbolism used in these tales is a metaphor for the journey of life. Symbol, it is the use of a defined object to represent an otherwise abstract notion or concept. Symbol is originated from Greek in the verb “symballein” that means to put together and associated noun of “Symbolon” that means to “mark- taken- or a sign. (Heritage Dictionary 2008). In literary works, a symbol is udder in the authors’ purposes for putting forth the idea in either a thing or person, or even the plot represents a concept on top of the “thing’s” literal concept or meaning. The things in literary works like Frost’s poem are a thing like a road that has a common knowledge meaning. The road however: is used to suggest ideas that pertain to more universally applicable lessons that the only common day attributes or characteristics of a road. The appearance of symbols in our literature of Frost’s and Rhys’ writings appear in differeing ways to purport different meanings. Typically the symbols show up in different ways like: A word that may repeat or have significance; A figure of speech that runs the gamete of the story or poem constantly repeating over or creating the major frame work for the protagonist’s battles; a significant happening or event in the story line like a death or “Aha moment”; Else wise the complete action in the finishing of the story (usually used in short story form like the end of a journey based tale; Then finally the symbol can be a certain character within the story or poem’s dialogue. In the case of Frost, the road takes on characteristics of a character in the journey symbolism and is no longer only a road.

The draws of the texts pull the reader in two different ways. The primary pull of Frost here in is the hope of a difference from his divergent choice of path in life. The pull of Rhys is in how the sullen acceptance of the person’s passing is the whole purpose of the journey. Frost had themes throughout his written works in which are dealing with the tragedies and fears of humans within their lives. They show his reaction to complex natures that life exhibits; subsequent to that, is his ultimate acceptance from burdens that rise out of life’s little adventures. Literary Symbolism “A symbol may be roughly defined as something that means more than what it is" (Perrine, 76). For frost in this case a simple road that shows lack of use is a life changing metaphor. How either the road choice in this poem symbolizes a journey in life, small or large this symbol can always be seen throughout the history of human story telling. The road is part of Frost’s entire imagery journey throughout his poem. The imagery of grass being less trod upon shows how this pivotal point is in his joy of taking detours in life’s journey....

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Introduction
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